Workers’ union holds protest,demands pension, gratuity

Members of the Anganwadi Mulazim Union under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held a protest against the non-fulfillment of their long-pending demands, outside the deputy commissioner’s office here on Friday.

More than 500 anganwari workers and helpers led by district president of the union Balvir Kaur gathered at the deputy commissioner’s office.

Kaur said: “The Modi government has raised raliway fares and cost of vegetables, sugar and dairy products have also increased. The governemnt has shown us bad days instead of ‘ache din’.”

The protestors also demanded gratuity, pension facilities and improvement of work conditions for them.

Demanding recruitment for anganwari workers at supervisory level, Kaur said: “The state must provide cooking, electricity and water facilities at anganwadi centres,” and added that providing quality food to the anganwadi centres was their long-pending demand.

Kaur said: “According to present promotion criteria for anganwadi workers, a helper is promoted as worker after 10 years of service. The government should revise the criteria and promote helpers after three years.” The protesters also demanded that mini anganwari workers centres should be converted into complete centres in the state. They said if their demands were not fulfilled, they would intensify their protest.